Antalya
Antalya Gulf is located in the south of Turkey with a coastal strip of hundreds of kilometers. With an ideal climate, beaches, bays and coves, Antalya has become one of the most popular tourist resorts for many holidaymakers. Antalya Holidays are especially recommended for a relaxing and entertaining time in Mediterranean coast.
Antalya is settled on a limestone plateau between Taurus(Toros) Mountains and and the Mediterranean Sea. In contrast to hot cliamte of Antalya, the peaks of Taurus Mountains stay covered with snow even in the summer.
Kaleici
City center of Antalya is located within old Roman walls, the area called Kaleici (inner castle). Ancient walls of the castle surrounds the yacht harbour. Kaleici is the most active part of the city with bars, shops, pensions and restaurants. However, the city, one of the fastest growing cities in Turkey, has expanded towards west and north in last several decades.
Ancient Roman Harbour
Old Roman harbour has been renovated to a modern marina. Marina is surrounded by many restaurants, cafes and tea gardens. Slightly above the marina within the ancient walls, there exists also many cafes. From these cafes, you can have a great view of the marina.
Holidays in Antalya
Antalya is the most popular holiday resort in Turkey. Antalya holidays are the primary choice of residents in Turkey, for this reason there are summer houses of local residents. Antalya region with neighbour coasts and towns is called as Turkish Riviera due to crystal clear seas. Even though Antalya holidays are mainly preferred for magnificent beaches, this lovely city also offers many attractions in a historical atmosphere.
Historical Places in Antalya
Other than natural beauties, Antalya has many important cultural and historical places. You can find old Antalya houses in Kaleici region with an authentic atmosphere. Yivli Minare (Fluted Minaret) which is the symbol of the city can also be found in Kaleici. Fluted Minaret is erected by Seljuk sultan, Alaeddin Keykubat in thirteenth century. Mehmet Pasha Mosque, Kesik Minare (Broken Minaret) and Hadrian's Gate are other important historical sites worth visiting.
Antalya Archeological Museum (Arkeoloji Müzesi) is one of the biggest archeological museums in the country. It is located in Konyaalti. You can take dolmus (small buses) with "Müze" sign in the front or you can take tramway to museum. Museum is open in Tuesday-Sunday between 8:30-17:30. Entrance to museum costs 15 TL.
Beaches
Beaches are essential parts of Antalya holidays. Konyaalti Beach (Konyaalti Plaji) is located on the west side of the city. Entrance to beach is free and you can find umbrellas, sunbeds with reasonable price. To reach Konyaalti Beach, you can take a tramway to the west side from city center, get off at the archeological museum (last stop). It takes 10 minutes by walking downhill to reach the beach. Beach is backed by some hotels, cafes and palm trees.
Lara Beach which is located on the east of city is a long beach with darkish, fine sand and some little pebbles. You can enter Lara beach with only a small fee. Lower Düden Waterfalls reach to sea in Lara Beach, however to get a better view of waterfalls, you need to take boat tours from old harbour. You can reach Lara Beach by taking dolus from Atatürk Street (Atatürk Caddesi).